Reddit mentions: The best asthma books

I know this is a bit late to the party but my friend just got diagnosed as well and we went on a day long researching binge. I tried to consolidate everything we found to reference later, so for you and any one else interested here is a wall of text. I hope it helps.

The http://www.spondylitis.org website has some good background information with a useful guide on where to start. But I was surprised how there was no emphasis on the importance of diet. I found another website called kickas.org which focuses on diet and the findings of an English doctor named Alan Ebringer. Here's a quick summary of his findings which I haven't found refuted anywhere:

"Ankylosing spondylitis is considered to be a form of "reactive arthritis" following an infection of the terminal ileum and ascending colon by the bowel microbe Klebsiella. Specific anti- Klebsiella antibodies in AS patients have now been reported from 17 different countries: England, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Belgium, Slovakia, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, USA, Mexico, Argentina, and Turkey.
Over 95% of AS patients possess the HLA-B27 antigen whilst it is present only in 8% of the general population. The Klebsiella microbe has molecules which resemble HLA-B27 and this is the reason why AS patients generally belong to the HLA-B27 group.
In addition, the pullulanase molecule of the Klebsiella microbe crossreacts with type I collagen found in tendons and bone and also with type IV collagen found in basement membranes of retina and uvea, thereby explaining the pathological sites of AS."

We all have trillions of bacteria from thousands of different strains in our gut and I bet most everyone has that Klebsiella bacteria. It's only a problem in people who also have the HLA-B27 antigen who then experience an overgrowth of that particular bacteria. Since that bacteria feeds on starches, you can alter your diet to essentially "starve" it out. This is the London AS diet

As you can see, you may have to cut out additional things like dairy, eggs and even some veggies like onions if you don't get relief by sticking to the middle column. As you starve out the Klebsiella bacteria you'll want to actively replace it with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) like the ones found in yogurt(get the plain, unsweetened greek yogurt), Kefir, kombucha or probiotic pills like these.

Additionally, as you cut sugar and other carbs you'll also be starving out the candida yeast that lives in all our bodies. In some people, too high of a candida population can cause a host of issues ranging from hives to arthritis. You may not have any issues with candida, but if you did, they'll start dying out as well (bonus!). Having so many yeast and bacteria dying off can cause problems on their own unfortunately, they release toxins when they die and their little dead cells have to be cleared out by the body. The body can react to this sudden die off and it's called a Herxheimer reaction (or just "herxing"). Herxing can feel like a whole body inflammation/hives/the flu. You're body can normally process the dying organisms along with the toxins fast enough, but drink plenty of water to help yourself out, your kidneys and liver will be working hard and they'll need the water(some tea can't hurt either).

Another interesting thing I came across is leaky gut syndrome. The basic idea is that the lining of the intestines can become too thin, thin enough to allow large, not-yet-fully-digested proteins and other molecules to permeate the gut and enter your bloodstream. Then, your immune system attacks these unknown molecules and the result is a host of inflammatory responses like arthritis and IBS. Incidentally, frequent use of antibiotics can cause work to thin the lining of the intestines, as well NSAIDs.

This stuff is so increadibly complex and interrelated! but also fascinating. The health of your gut and the kinds of bacteria living there can even influence your mood and determine your obesity risk as well.

Fasting also fits into this puzzle. Humans have fasted for religious and health reasons for all of recorded history. Juice fasts and such even had a pop culture resurgence. One of the benefits of fasting is that you starve out the yeast and bacteria since only your own cells have access to any energy (your own fat stores). This allows you to essentially reset your body and repopulate your gut with healthier bacteria. This article references a few scientific studies that seen to back up that idea. A less appealing way to repopulate your gut bacteria would be... However, IBS and colitis are often comorbid with AS so it might be worth considering. It was for some on the kickas.org forums.

Inflammation seems to be at the intersection of all this. In many ways, inflammation is at the root of all illness. In a sense, you aren’t just your human self, but an ever changing proportion of human cells, bacteria, yeasts, and viruses as well. For long term health you have to keep your non-pathogenic guests in balance lest they bloom and become pathogenic AND maintain an immune system strong enough to evict the active pathogens but not attack your own cells. At the risk of redundancy, I think it’s useful to include this book that covers the importance of that balance and the risk of antibiotics.
A final resource I found was on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which isn't must different than the London AS diet but the website was very helpful and had a lot of information that was free even though they're trying to sell a book.
AS can seem daunting, maybe I should have led with a positive testimonial from someone who managed to control his AS
Dotyisle’s AS story

Oh, one final thing, exercise as much as you can! I have a book called "The Exercise Cure" and for Arthritis (closest thing in the book to AS) he says those with severe pain should at least do stretching, yoga/swimming/strength exercises like air squats and lunges.

TL;DR: A low/no starch diet will lower the number of harmful bacteria, reduce your inflammation response, and increase the effectiveness of traditional medicines at smaller (easier on the body/less side effects) doses.

The better way to phrase this is that humans evolved as hosts for bacteria.

There are thousands of species that make their home inside us, and scientists are just beginning to understand that they are not just benign, but active participants. Bacteria create chemicals as part of their life cycle. Some of those chemicals are harmful - some are incredibly useful, particularly with regard to our gut/immune system.

Recommended book if you are interested in this topic.

Martin J. Blaser MD wrote a great book called Missing Microbes which has more of the story about H. pylori and it's research, as well as about the gut biome in general.

I also highly recommend

Gut by Julia Enders For an interesting overview of the Gut and it's working.

The Mind-Gut Connection As a side perspective on some of the same topics.

I'll also say that this parable is a beloved by the Gut research community in what I've read so far, even if it is a bit of a fable. (Not being the first to find it, and there being more to the story.)

Edit: Formatting.

Three books if you're interested in this subject:

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

Missing Microbes by Blaser

Life On Man, by Rosebury.

Blaser is one of the leading researchers in the field; Rosebury was a noted microbiologist who- at one point- headed up a bacterial warfare research program at Fort Detrick (now USAMRIID).

The short answer to your question: the environment. The longer answer is that it is a function of exposure from mom (including birth- the bacterial flora in the vagina changes in the third trimester- which raises some interesting questions about the effects of C-section), the family (which would make for some interesting studies in adopted children), the environment (lactic acid bacteria, etc.), and is modulated by things like diet, and antibiotic use.

Interesting note by Blaser: Helicobacter pylori, which has been implicated in ulcers, may be protective against asthma and allergies.

Now- this is the gastric environment, versus the intestines- and not many bacteria survive the stomach, so H. pylori is a minor but important subset of bacteria in the digestive tract; by numbers, it pales in comparison to those of your colon, for example. But it is rapidly being depleted in Western populations from antibiotic use- including abx that are not prescribed for such use. So, we're losing these bacteria that we can demonstrate have been colonizing our stomachs for tens of thousands of years, and the big question is whether this could be where we're getting the increase in asthma and allergies from.

Very hot topic just right now, lots of interesting work being done.

More research would have to be done to prove diet is the most important difference between our skin and the skin of people who don't get their food from the grocery store, but there is evidence of the link between diet and acne. The thread I linked to links to a study on this subject.

>Results? Multiple randomized controlled trials with biochemical and histopathologic evidence support the benefit of low GI/GL diet for acne.

I would be interested in the role gut/skin microbiome plays in acne and other conditions. There is evidence gut microbiome has a lot to do obesity, which is something this book talks about. Someone in the thread on AskHistorians I linked to also points out Amish children have a much lower rate of respiratory infections due to being exposed to different bacteria from livestock.

The reason people focus on diet is probably because we understand the influence insulin has on our body. Other influences may be as important but they are more complex or not as easily understood. I definitely think stress is a factor but very little is understood about the human brain scientifically.

On the other hand the extermination campaign this started against H. Pylori was a bad thing. Microbiomics is showing the importance of complex and healthy gut flora.

Here is a book written about how H. Pylori is also one of the “good guys” in your intestinal flora

Here is a book written about how H. Pylori is sometimes also one of the “good guys” among your intestinal flora

PSA: Don’t buy the book. If you’re interested check it out from a local library. It is very interesting though.

Some suggestions are below. They aren't "field guides" but are still some good choices. I admit I haven't finished March of the Microbes or Missing Microbes but Microbes and Evolution is a fantastic collection of essays.

March of the Microbes

Microbes and Evolution: The World Darwin Never Saw

Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues

Here's a good one:

The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity.

And here's her Ted talk on the same subject.

Another good one is:
It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle.

Enjoy!

I've been an EMT on and off since 1989.

After getting back into the gig from a long hiatus, what surprised me most recently is how... fat people have gotten. Yes, I know- big surprise, right? Ha-ha, people GET FAT.

In the early 90s, we didn't have ambos that were custom-built specifically to handle bariatric patients. We didn't have larger-sized gurneys, and special hydraulic lifts and ramps to get people in. We didn't have families asking, "Is this going to be big enough?" Well, it's going to have to be, because it's the largest they make- the largest gurney, the largest ambo in the state, and the heaviest ramps and lifts that are made.

The heaviest lift I was on was 750 pounds, and the guy was post-AMI, comatose, with virtually no brain activity. If he so much as twitched, the family saw it as a sign he could recover. It. Was. Devastating. I think we had a total of three crews on that lift, plus staff at the sending hospital.

Blaser in his book Missing Microbes suggests antibiotics cause permanent damage to gastrointestinal microbiota, resulting in weight issues. Interesting hypothesis, and they're gathering data in mice. Interesting stuff.

Missing Microbes by Blaser is a very good book on the subject. To answer your question, we know that even single courses of antibiotics in mice can result in lifelong obesity. How well that translates to humans is yet to be seen.

However, we know that in some instances, antibiotics can get rid of H. pylori, an organism known to cause stomach ulcers- even antibiotics taken for reasons other than ulcers can do this. And pylori is inversely related to allergies and asthma, suggesting the organism may be protective.

This has been has been very helpful for me.
https://www.amazon.com/Close-Your-Mouth-Buteyko-Handbook/dp/0954599616

I have heard good things about the Buteyko method (no medicine) http://www.amazon.com/Close-Your-Mouth-Buteyko-Handbook/dp/0954599616

Here's a link to Marty's book, which I highly recommend: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805098100/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=39425013363&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11215556598540468817&hvpone=17.71&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_9n2k3lvs8i_b

Amazon must be trolling.
Frequently bought together: The Chronic Cough

https://www.amazon.com/Chronic-Cough-Enigma-recognize-neurogenic/dp/1940561000

Probably no need to buy the book. In short: "Yes